Click here for : Details of all candidates for East Surrey Unitary Council standing in Epsom and Ewell
In the weeks ahead Epsom and Ewell Times will publish the personal statements of all candidates that wish to provide them to us.
Residents across Surrey – including Epsom and Ewell – will go to the polls on Thursday 7 May 2026 in elections that will reshape local government for a generation.
The vote is part of the Government’s programme of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), which will replace Surrey’s current two-tier system with two new unitary authorities from April 2027.
For Epsom and Ewell residents, this means voting not for the existing Borough Council, but for councillors who will form the new East Surrey Council.
What voters are being asked to decide
The 2026 elections will choose councillors for the “shadow” East Surrey Council, a body that will operate alongside existing councils during a one-year transition period.
These councillors will:
- Set the first budgets and council tax levels for the new authority
- Establish governance structures and staffing
- Oversee the transfer of services ahead of April 2027
Once the new system comes into force, they will continue as full councillors of the new authority until at least 2031.
How the new system will work
Under the reorganisation:
- Surrey’s 12 existing councils (county plus districts/boroughs) will be abolished
- Two unitary councils – East Surrey and West Surrey – will take over all services
- East Surrey will cover areas including Epsom & Ewell, Elmbridge, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge
Each new authority will deliver everything from bin collections and planning to education and social care – functions currently split between borough and county councils.
Voting system and representation
Voters will be able to choose up to two councillors per ward, with the top two candidates elected under a first-past-the-post system.
Across East Surrey:
- 72 councillors will represent 36 wards
- Elections are based broadly on current county council divisions
What it means locally
Importantly, no elections are taking place in 2026 for Epsom & Ewell Borough Council itself. Existing borough and county councillors will remain in post until March 2027, creating a period of overlap.
For residents, day-to-day services are expected to continue unchanged during the transition.
Registering and voting
To take part:
- You must be registered to vote by midnight on 20 April 2026
- Photo ID is required at polling stations
- Postal and proxy voting options are available
A pivotal local moment
The Surrey LGR Hub describes these elections as a key step in creating a simpler system of local government, with councillors elected in May playing a “key role in setting up and then running the new councils.”
For Epsom and Ewell, the vote represents a significant shift away from long-standing borough governance towards a much larger strategic authority – with consequences that will shape local services, taxation and representation for years to come.
Related reports
Last day to Stand for Surrey’s Unitary Councils
Two unitary proposal confirmed
County council set to propose two unitary councils for Surrey